Multiple-anode mercury-vapor apparatus.



J. R. BAKER.

MULTIPLE ANODE MERCURY VAPOR APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY-25,1913.

Patented May 1, 191?.

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IIVI/E/VTOR ATTOH/VE WITNESSES J. R. BAKER.

MULTIPLE ANODE MERCURY VAPOR APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1913.

Patented May 1, 191.7.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WIT/VESSESL GMLWES 3B BAKER, OF ARLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO COOPER-HEWITT ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MULTIPLE-ANODE MERCURY-VAPOR APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, tea a.

Application filed July 25, 1913. Serial No. 781,121.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JAMES R. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Arlington, county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful 'provements in Multiple-Anode Mercury- Vapor Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

y invention relates to the construction, disposition, andoperation of mercury vapor devices, more particularly devices of this character operating on relatlvely heavy currents as, for example, mercury vapor lamps utilized for blue prmting or photographic purposes. Such devlces are generally made in the form of long tubes which may be placed parallel to the arms of a glass cylinder, such as that over whlch blue print paper and tracings are customarlly drawn. Obviously the more light given by the tube the more rapid the printing, so that high candle power is advantageous. ln lamps as now constructed it is found that onepf the limiting features in the matter of 1ncreasing the size. of the lamp tubes is the capacity of the positive electrode and its seal, both mechanically and electrically. The liability to fracture or derangement of these seals becomes very great when currents of 7 or 8 to 10 amperes are used.

By the use of my invention 1 am able greatly to increase the current ordinarily used, as l provide two anodes lying closely adjacent to each other'and operating 1n parallel, the current of the two anodes passing through the same tube, so that the illuminating power or actinic power is that of the sum of the two currents.

In the drawings Ihave shown in Flgure 1 a lamp having the described construct1on and in Fig. 2 a system'of circults for operat ng two such lamps, including means for causing the anodes to divide the current between them.

In the first figure, 1 is a highly exhausted light-giving or actinic tube; 2, a mercury cathode at one end of said tube; 3 and l, the two anodes which divide the current between them; 5, a starting band; and 6, a condensing chamber located in this case at the cathode and of the lamp-and draining into the cathode. I

By placing the two anodes close together, I provide ainaximum usable length of eflective tube, and by setting one anode at right angles to the other, I greatly simplify the glass blowing operations.

In Fig. 2 I show circuits for operating a pair of these tubes adapted for serving the purposes of a blue printing outfit. Two tubes are frequently operated in series in such outfits, and the illustration of that number of tubes is therefore a natural one. The mains are shown at 7 and 8. Current passes from the positive main by a conductor, 9, to a common connection between two resistance spools, 12 and 13, and through these resistances in parallel to the two anodes 3 and 4 of the lamp 1; th'ence through the lamp tube to the cathode 2, through an inductance, 29, a coil and adjustable resistance, 14, a conductor, 17, to a common connection between resistances, 12 and 13*, similar to the resistances 12 and 13, and thence in parallel through these resistances to the anodes 3 and 4 of the tube 1, thence through the said tube to the cathode 2 and thence through a starting inductance, 29, and through a sustaining coil and adjustable resistance, 14, and a conductor, 18, to the negative main 8. The resistances 12 and 13 and 12 and 13 serve to cause an equal distribution of current between the anodes 3 and 4 and the anodes 3 and 4 respectively.

At 24: I show a switch apparatus having blades, 23, adapted to be thrown into or out of connection with contacts, 20, 20. The switch may be manipulated by means of a suitable handle, 25. When the switch is thrown so as to make connection between the blades, 23, 23, and the contacts, '20, 20, the starting circuit is brought into operation, the same'consisting of a conductor, 26, aresistance, 28, and a shifter, 27, whereby the said starting circuit is connected to a conductor, 30, and the lead of the cathode 2. By the same operation a second starting circuit including a conductor, 26, a resistance, 28, a shifter, 27, is connected to the conductor, 30*, and the lead of the cathode, Thus these two shifters are connected, each in shunt to its own lamp, and, when operated in the well known way, serve to cause two coils, 29 and 29, respectively, to produce high voltage impulses suii'icient to start the tubes with the assistance of the starting bands 5 and 5 which are respectively connected by the conductors 21 and 21. to the anodes of the tubes.

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llt l standards, 22 and 22,

When the lamps are started, I prefer to throw the switch blades, 24, 24, in a reverse direction by means of the handle, 25, so that the knife blades, 23, 23, are connected to the for which reason the blades, 24, are connected to thestandards 22 and 22, in which case the coils 29 and 29 respectively are short circuited and the shifter circuits are opened. These circuits constitute a convenient and satisfactory system for operating lamps, and particularly for securing a division of currentbetween the pairs of anodes so that the advantages of my 1nvention' are secured. I do not, however, wish to limit my invention to any particular embodiment of its principles. for it is useful in many connections as, for example, in the construction of mercury vapor rectifiers where larger currents are desired than can be conveniently transmitted througha sin e. anode, especially in glass containers. further do not wish to limit my invention to the use or solid anodes, for mercury anodes operate in the same manner, provided I supply some means for preventing one anode from ro bing another of current. Again I desire that my invention may be applied to alternating current operations for alternating tit currents can be adaptedoto a pluralityof anodes by the same principles as direct current. Neither do I wish to limit myself to the use of only two anodes for more than two can .be made to combine their currents in a single light giving tube as, for example, by adding a third anode opposite the anode, 3, in Fig. 1. v

I claim as my invention:

1-. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with an electric device having a plurality of anodes and a common cathode therein, each anode having a. current carrying capacity less than the normal operative current of the device, of a source of energy supplying current to said device greater than the maximum current carrying capacity of'an a-node,'and means for preventing an excessive rise of current at said anode.

2. In a system of electrical distribution,

the combination with an electric device having a plurality cathode therein, rent carrying capacity less than the normal operative current of the device, of means for supplying to said device a current greater than the current carrying capacity of an anode, and means responsive to energy variations at an anode for causing corresponding variations at another anode.

3.'In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with an electric device having a plurality of anodes and a common cathode therein, each anode having a current carrying'capacity less than the normal of anodes and a common each anode having a cur? operative current of the device, of means for supplying to said device a current greater than the current carrying capacity of an anode, and means responsive to energy .variations at said anode for causing correcathode therein,each anode having a current carrying capacity less than the normal operative current of the device, of means for operating said gas or vapor device on a current greater than the current carrying capacity of an'anode, and means for preventing anexcessive flow of current'to an anode.

5. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with a gas or vapor device having a plurality of positive electrodes and a common. negative electrode therein, each positive electrode having a current carrying capacity less than the normal operative current of the device, of means for operating said gas or vapor device on a current greater than the current carrying cap acity of a posithe combination with a gas or vapor device having a plurality of anodes and a common cathode therein, the anodes being equi-distant from the cathode, each anode having a current carrying capacity less than the normal operative current of the device, of means for operating said gas or-vapor device on a current greater than the current carrying capacity of an anode, and means for preventing an excessive flow of current to an anode.

7. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with a gas or vapor device having a plurality of positive electrodes and a common negative electrode therein, the positives being equi-distant from the negative, each positive electrode having a current carrying capacity less than the normal operative current of the device, of means for operating said gas or vapor device on a current greater than the current carrying capacity of a positive, and means responsive to current variations at one posisupplying current to said device greater than the maximum current carrying capacity of an anode, and means for preventing an excessive rise of current at said anode. v

9. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with an electric device consisting of a container of relatively long length and wide bore, a cathode at one end and anodes at the other end of said container, the anodes being equi-distant from the cathode, each anode having a current carrying capacity less than the normal operative current of the device, of asource of energy supplying current to said device greater than the maximum current carrying capacity of an anode, and means for pre venting an excessive rise of currentat said anode.

10. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with an electric device consisting of a container of relatively long length and wide bore, a cathode at one end and anodes at the other end of said container, each anode having a current carrying capacity less than the normal operative current of the device, of a source of energy supplying current to said device greater than the maximum current carrying capacity'of an anode, and means responsive to energy variations at an anode for causing correspondin energy variations at another anode, Where y an excessive rise of current at said anode is prevented. Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 22nd day of July A. D. 1913.

JAMES R. BAKER.

Witnesses:

HAROLD B. WOODWARD, GEORGE H. S'I'OCKBRIDGE. 

